Flying High

Report Says `Intoxicated’ Astronauts Blasted Off

US astronauts were allowed to blast off into space after turning up drunk for launches, reports ABC News.

A panel appointed by NASA to report on the mental health of astronauts found that on at least two occasions astronauts were allowed to fly on space shuttle launches, even though flight surgeons warned they were intoxicated and posed a flight-safety risk.

The panel's findings were reported by Aviation Week & Space Technology, a publication that covers the space program closely. Several sources separately confirmed the report for ABC News.

No names or missions are cited in the report, according to Frank Morring, the Aviation Week writer who broke the story. Officially, NASA said the report contains serious information the agency will have to consider. It has scheduled a news conference for Friday afternoon.